After conducting studies on employees who self-rated or were rated by coworkers on job performance, the researchers concluded that people with creative hobbies outside of work feel more relaxed and in control in their off hours and are more likely to be helpful to coworkers and creative in their approach solving work problems than those without these hobbies.

One study found that employees who reported engaging fairly often in creative hobbies also had a 15% to 30% edge on occasional hobbyists when it came to performance rankings.

The researchers say it’s possible that having a creative outlet could provide an opportunity to discover new skills, which could also be helpful in the workplace. They suggested that companies could even benefit from encouraging their employees to consider creative activities outside of work.

Based on Arthur Koestler’s seminal work, “The Act Of Creation,” creative hobbies involve the exploration of new cognitive pathways and the connection of previously unrelated thoughts. Many activities have the potential for being creative and could include:

Soap making

Soap making can be a creative venture and sometimes requires trial and error to get the final product just right.

Photography

Photo: Courtesy of Mihaela Noroc.

According to the researchers, some people, like photographers for instance, may engage in creative activities that are similar to their experiences at work because of the shared knowledge, skills, and abilities.